Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce looks at transfer window

Sunderland’s January reinforcements will have to embrace a relegation fight which will endure for several more months, insists Sam Allardyce.
Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce. Picture by FRANK REIDSunderland manager Sam Allardyce. Picture by FRANK REID
Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce. Picture by FRANK REID

Despite making eight signings during the summer, Sunderland will be in the market for further recruits in the upcoming transfer window, albeit Allardyce and sporting director Lee Congerton – who remains in his role at the club – are only in the early stages of their planning.

Sunderland’s dire defensive record of 25 goals conceded in the opening 11 games is an obvious area to strengthen, although Allardyce is not solely focused on bringing in fresh faces at the back.

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Allardyce is on the look-out for any new recruits who would improve his options throughout the side, with Sunderland, Newcastle United and West Bromich Albion all linked with unsettled Spurs winger Andros Townsend yesterday.

But the Sunderland manager expects to still be engulfed in the thick of the relegation dogfight during the January transfer window and says any fresh faces will need to accept that it will be a long haul to survival.

Allardyce told SportMail: “I think we have to look at the whole structure of the squad in January and say is there a better player out there, which will bring us something better than we already have?

“We will not be out of our position or anywhere near safe when the window opens, that’s for sure.

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“Hopefully we can get someone in along the way to help us out of that position.

“It’s probably going to be the end of March – if we’re really lucky – before we could be safe.

“That’s if we put a run of wins together on a pretty regular basis.

“If we don’t, then we’ll be down there for a long, long time, because even when you win one, someone else will do the same.

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“When you look at the teams who have got out of similar situations, it’s always at the back end of the season.

“We’ve got to try to get out of this as quick as we can, so, in the end, we don’t have to rely on winning four out of six, or something bizarre like that.”

– CHRIS YOUNG